Machine for use in making boxes



Sept. 1936- E. F. VALLEY 2,055,091

MACHINE FOR USE IN MAKING BOXES .Filed March 16, 1935 4 SheetsSh eet l I NVENTOR. fZ/Gf/V' F 144445) BY 75 flQA/ Q ffTOR/VEYS.

Sept. 22, 1936. VA LEY 2,055,091

MACHINE FOR IN MAKING BOXES Filed March 16, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V I, F A

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M M; NAM M'YKJ 7 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 22, 1936. E, F V E 2,055,091

MACHINE FOR USE IN MAKING BOXES Filed March 16, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

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Sept. 22, 1936. E. F. VALLEY 2,055,091

MACHINE FORIJS'E IN MAKING BOXES Filed March 16, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4 AZ z ,f/c/4- j &

IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 22, 1936 MACHINE FOR USE I MAKING BoxEs Eu'geneF. Valley, Rockaway, N. J., assignor to Stapling Machines 00., a corporation of Delaware Application March 16, 1935,. Serial No. 11,414.

'5 Claims... (c1.14o- 9s) This invention relates to machinesfor equipping wired box parts with fastening means and particularly to machines for manipulating a wire secured to a box partto form and perpetuate a bight on the end of the wire. 1

It is an object of the invention to provide certain improvementsin a machine of the type. disclosed inU. S. Patentto Rosenmund No. 1,933,031.

It is a. further object to provide such a machine with improved means for positioning a box part relative to the: wire-manipulating elements to locate the fastening means a predetermined distance from the box part edge.

'It isa. further: object .to. providesuch a machine It isia further object of the-invention to provide such .a machine with .presser means to prevent thin boxmaterials from buckling during thepositioningoperation andto facilitate the correc positioning of such materials. 1 i

' One. illustrative: embodiment of the invention is. shownmin; the accompanying drawings, in-

which:--

Figure 1 isaperspective view of two wire-connected box parts :upon which the machine of this invention issadapted to operate.

.Fig. 2Eis a. perspective viewof one of the box parts after it hasbeen operate'dupon by the machine of thisv invention. 1

Fig. 3 is aplan view of a portion of the table upon which the box parts arepositioned and supported during a fastener-supplying: operation, certain parts being omitted for clearness of illustration: r 1 1 1 Fig...4-is. an enlarged plamviewof-one of the box part positioning units and'includes a box part correctly positioned relative to the wiremanipulating mechanismpcertain parts being omitted for clearness of. illustration.

Fig. 5. is the same as Fig. ibut shows'the position of the positioning unit after the box. part has been correctly positioned and while the box part is being presented to the wire-manipulating mechanism.... Fig. dis a side elevation of "the cam.v which moves the box part. positioning unit into nonoperating position when the supporting. table. is

manip'ulating; mechanism Fig. .7is. a sectional view taken on the line l! of Fig. 4. J 1' Referring to Fig.1, the machine of this application is intended to receive on a supporting table the wire-connected. box parts designatedA and B, sever the connecting Wires designated C, formprongs on the severed ends, swing the prongs over onto: the box parts to form bights, and drive the prongslinto or through the box parts to perpetuate the bights. Thecompleted bights thus formed are shown in Fig.2 and designated D. i

- The wire-connected box parts A and B when fed into the machine are positioned on a table or support which is adapted to be lowered to present the connecting wires. C to the wire-manipulating elements.

It is desirable thatthe box parts A and B be correctly located or positioned before the wires C are presentedto the wire-manipulating elements. This is accomplished by definitely positioning the front edge of .the box part A relative to the wiremanipulating elements. Definitely positioning the box part A also. definitelypositions box part B because the length of the wires connecting the two box parts are *of definite predetermined length.

Todefinitely position: the'forward edge of box partA relative to the wire manipulating elements, stop mechanism'is provided which normally lies in the path of'travel-of the box part and arrests movementof the box part when it strikes the stop mechanism and moves with it to the limit of its travel. After the box part has been definitely positioned against the stop mechanism and the machine started,the' stop mechanism is withdrawn from in front of the box part andheld in non-stopposition during the wire-manipulating operation. :The stop mechanism will be described in detail hereinafter. 1 1 a Associated with the stop mechanism is a-presser plate tocontact. theupper surfaceof the-box part to prevent buckling thereof during its presentation to the stopme ehanism. Such presser plate whichwill also be described in detail hereinafter facilitates the correct positioning of the boxpart. 1 11 1 i When the box parts have been correctly: positioned on the supporting table, the machine may be started by throwing into operation 'a-onecycle clutch. When th'e'machine is started the table is lowered to present the connecting wires C to the wire-manipulating elements which sever the wires, form. prongson the severed ends, swing the prongsv overont'o the box: parts, and drive the. .prongsinto or. through-the boxparts.

The wire-manipulating elements and their operation are fully shown and described in, the aforementioned patent to Rosenmund No.

1,933,031, reference to which patent is hereby made for a detailed description.

The table upon which the box parts are supported and positioned is shown in skeleton form in'Fig. 3. It consists generally of a rectangular frame formed from side bars I connected by cross bars Ia. Intermediate cross bars (not shown) may be employed to brace and strengthen the table. made for a detailed description of the table.

The improved stop mechanism for positioning the box parts relative to the wire-manipulating held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by springs 6 each of which is secured at one end to a stop 2 and at the other end to a portion of an arm 3. Pivotal movement of stops 2 on arms 3'is controlled by pins 1 carried by the stops 2 and which engage the arms 3 at either extremity of the movement of the stops 2.

,The upper ends of arms 3 carrying the stops 2 are urged toward each other by springs 8, one end of each spring being secured to an arm 3 and the other end to a plate l. Movement of arms 3 is limited by adjustable stops 9 carried by plates, 4 and which engage the lower ends of arms 3.

The upper ends of arms 3 carrying the stops 2 are moved away from each other by cam plates I67 (see Fig. 6) which contact with rounded cam surfaces I I on the arms 3 when the table is loweredto present the box parts and the connecting wires to the wire-manipulating elements. The cam plates Ill are adjustably secured to a fixed part of the machine directly beneath the cam surfaces I I of the arms 3,'so that when the table is lowered the arms 3 will be swung away from each other, i. e., from the position of the arm 3 shown in Fig. 4 to the position of the arm 3 shown in Fig. 5. 7

Still referring to Fig. 3, when a box part is fed into a machine its forward edge contacts with the stop members 2 and pushes the stop members 2 forward against the action of the springs 6 until the pins I contact with the arms 3 and prevent further movement of the stop members 2. When in this position the box part is correctly positioned for a wire-manipulating operation. Both stop members 2 are then in the position of the stop member 2 shown in Fig. 4, i. e., in contact with the forward edge of the box part. When in this position the table is lowered,.caus- 7 ing the cam plates II] to swing the arms 3 away from the box part to the position of the arm 3 shown in Fig. 5.

When the wire-manipulating operation is completed the table rises, thus permitting arms 3 to pivot toward the box part under the influence of springs 8. At thistime, however, the stop members 2 (under the influence of springs 6) occupy thepivoted position of the stop member 2 shown in Fig.5, so that when the stop members swing Reference to said Rosenmund patent is" toward the box part they engage the side of the box part and drag along the side of the box part while it is being drawn through the machine. When the completed box part has been drawn past the stop members 2, the springs 8 move the arms 3 inwardly and the stop members 2 are thus moved into the path of the next oncoming box part in position to engage the front edge of that oncoming box part and position it for the next machine operation.

Referring to Fig. 7, each stop member is provided on its forward face with vertically spaced positioning arms I2 and I3 to receive between them the forward edge of the boxpart and guide it to the body of the stop 2. To facilitate this guiding operation, arm I2 is formed with a beveled surface I4 to provide a wide opening between arms I2 and I3 to receive the forward edge of the box part, which opening gradually becomes narrower as the opening approaches the body of the stop 2. This gradually narrowing opening insures the receiving and correct positioning of the forward edge of the box part regardless of warping or buckling which may be present in thin materials such as are used in the manufacture of wire-bound boxes.

It will be noted that the body of the stop member 2 positions the box part horizontally relative to the wire-manipulating elements and that the arms I2 and I3 position the box part ver-' tically relative to the wire-manipulating mechanism.

To assist in correctly positioning the box part and to prevent undue buckling and to press out warping in the box material, a presser plate I is provided at either side of the machine to rest upon and press the boX part down against the stock support bars 5. Presser plate I5 is bent upwardly at its forward edge, as shown at I6, to facilitate the entry of the box part under the plate I5. Plate I5 is pressed onto the box part by means of compression springs II interposed between the plate I5 and a plate stud I8 which passes through holes in a bracket I9 secured to a stock guide 20 carried by and extending from cross bar Ia. of the table.

It will be noted that the presser plates just described in addition to preventing buckling of thin box part material and in addition to pressing out warpage in the box part material, alsocontrol the approach of the forward edge of the box part to the stop mechanism and insure the entry of the forward edge of the box part into the openings provided between arms I2 and I3 carried by stop members 2, and insure correct positioning of the box part for a wire-manipulating operation regardless of the tendency of thin box parts to buckle and warp.

Among other advantages this invention provides a dependable means for correctly positioning thin box parts for a wire-manipulating operation and for handling thin box materials wholly unsupported or stiffened by cleats or other box reenforcing members.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown for purposes of illustration as the inventive features of the machine may be used in other forms.

It will also be understood that all of the inventive features need not be used conjointly as they may be used in various combinations as defined in the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of wire-manipulating mechanism to form a bight on a wire secured to a box part and drive the end of the wire into the box part to perpetuate the bight, and means to position the box part relative to the wire-manipulating mechanism, said positioning means including a support for the box part, means yieldingly to press the box part on the support, and a stop member having two vertically spaced arms to receive between them the forward edge of the box part, the opening between said arms being relatively large to receive the edge of the box part and gradually decreasing toward the body of the stop member to guide the box part to correct vertical position against the body of the stop member.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of wire-manipulating mechanism to form a bight on a wire secured to a box part and drive the end of the wire into the box part to perpetuate the bight, and means to position the box part relative to the wire-manipulating mechanism, said positioning means including a support for the box part, means yieldingly to press the box part on the support, and a stop member having two vertically spaced arms to receive between them the forward edge of the box part.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of wire-manipulating mechanism to form a bight on a wire secured to a box part and drive the end of the wire into the box part to perpetuate the bight, and means to position the box part relative to the wire-manipulating mechanism, said positioning means including a movable stop member having spaced arms to receive between them and position the forward edge of the box part, and means to move the stop member into and out of stop position.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of wire-manipulating mechanism to form a bight on a wire secured to a box part and drive the end of the wire into the box part to perpetuate the bight, and means to position the box part relative to the wire-manipulating mechanism, said positioning means including presser means for the box part and a stop member having two vertically spaced arms to receive between them the forward edge of the box part.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of wire-manipulating mechanism to form a bight on a wire secured to a box part and drive the end of the wire into the box part to perpetuate the bight, and means to position the box part relative to the wire-manipulating mechanism, said positioning means including a stop member having vertically spaced arms to receive between them the forward edge of the box part.

EUGENE F. VALLEY. 

